masanari | [Midlandia] Just One Note

[Midlandia] Just One Note

[A series of events occurred which were incredibly important and ultimately life changing.

But frankly her attention span was always rather limited. What really mattered above all else was that she and Nathan were free, and it didn't require Vergil's scolding or leaving the country. They had been adopted into this pack with considerably minimal fuss. They had a roof, food, and a way to get to and from school. The best part was that there was no one to hit her anymore, no more getting thrown left and right into walls or furniture, and Nathan no longer had to hear all the yelling and insults. They could be living in a high class sewer and Nariko would still be happy.

And while she'd made her gratuity very clear to the Alpha she's been otherwise quite normal! Nariko had survived the state of things because she knew how to control herself, how to present properly. So ever since they'd been given their space she'd gone about meeting everyone she could, being both agreeable and fun, while Nathan clung to her side the whole time.

Lately, though, he's been feeling a little more like himself. On this particular day she's sprawled all over the couch while Nathan watches some movie directly in front of her. If she's supposed to give a single crap about her tiny shorts or tank top then ... Actually, no, why would she? It hasn't occurred to Nariko to dress or act differently, especially because there's so many women. Besides, she's kind of idly watching it with him or occasionally toying with her phone, and really she'd practically beg for something fun to do. Ugh.]

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[ Mikado did know. It's... pretty stressful, knowing what happened back there. Not that he knows what it was per se, or at least he didn't connect it. He collects himself, wanting to say something else until Nariko blindsides them. They both blink, and then answer in relative unison. ]

Nope.

Not really.

[ Masaomi seems content to leave it at that, but Mikado goes on with, ]

I mean, we may or may not be brothers, so we never... bothered or anything?

It's different with boys though, so it's not as much of a problem, right?

[Either way, it's not something she'll poke at too much, though she does tap her fingers along Mikado where they're joined. It's a nervous habit.]

I was actually pretty jealous. If you think about a kiss that's supposed to mean something, that's special because of who you're sharing it with ... Then that's the sort of image I have.

[Not just that, of course, it was the feeling of it all, and a part of it was the intense situation but it's harder to put all that into words.]

[ Mikado is confused - why would she be jealous? It's a confusion that Masaomi shares to some extent, and he keeps a silent, appraising eye on both of his dates. It's strange to think of Mikado like that if he's honest, but it was the scene he wrote for them. Everything was operating more or less at the pace her prescribed... so. He might as well embrace it, right? It's largely for that he allows Mikado to answer it in the first place. ]

I-- I mean? I -- maybe? I'm not really sure what you mean... or that it was that big of a deal...? To be jealous about? That just sounds like you're under-selling yourself?

[ and of course Mikado would be a straight-shooter. Masaomi snorts, and as they continue the march up and out of the park (under a different entrance than they came in) Masaomi grips Nariko's hand harder, spins in place (pulling them both with him) and then makes to get himself tangled up in Nariko, their bound hands up in the air and his other arm around her waist as he leans his face in close to hers ]

NariNari. I think I'm starting to really like you.

No, I just don't enjoy lying to myself, that's all.

[She kind of says it to herself, in part because she doesn't want it to become a Thing as much as she does want it to be one. Ultimately it's not their fault that she still feels incredibly displaced and listless, so while she can't identify those emotions she also doesn't want to lay it on them, either. It's the sort of thing that could easily rip her good mood to shreds, but Masaomi starts doing this and that, and she ends up yelping with surprise.

The only reason she doesn't fall is because she clings to Masaomi a bit.]

Ah, is that so? [He probably isn't, sex tends to make boys think they like a lot of things they really don't.] I should be making it much more difficult for you, then.

Please do. I'm looking forward to falling more and more for you. I'm sure Mikado feels the same--

[ and Mikado, who is still holding her hand, does have his own sort of wrapped around his brother's back too. It's a really awkward position and even makes his face screw up a bit. Still, leaned against them both he... frowns. Because he sort of gets what Nariko means, they're being presumptuous. But there really isn't anything like that between him and Mikado.. at least he doesn't think so. ]

D-don't speak for me... please?! But I would? Still.

[Maybe 'presumptuous' is the right word for it, but it also might not be big enough for everything that's attached to the whole affair.]

Then you can't complain when I ignore you both for someone else!

[This is .. All things considered, an attempt at being playful in some odd way. Masaomi's a little more dedicated to all this than she had expected, and Mikado's so even tempered that she'd have to press him more to know what he actually thinks or feels about it.]

Anyway! [She goes ahead and slips away from both of them, peeking her tongue out at them.] Come on! I wanna see the music store!

Like we'll let you lose interest!

[ That said, Mikado hangs his head a little, knowing he might be a little bit despairing if he were to let out everything he thinks in that moment. But when Masaomi responds like that, it makes him laugh in in turn. And even when she pulls out and away from both of them (just as well, because it wouldn't be good to remain tangled up like that for a long time). So instead, he just shakes his head and both boys get in step beside her, though not holding hands now ]

Okay! We're leading you!

[That's a challenge waiting to happen! But it's far too early in their relationship - whatever it might actually be - to think about making people jealous and all that.

Right now it seems that Nariko is perfectly fine with keeping her hands to herself.]

This is a really nice place.

[It's so different from her home, but that's not exactly a bad thing. It just feels like it's going to need some getting used to.]

It's -- yeah it's a little small as cities go, but the flip side is that the core downtown is really centralized.

All the adults do kinda drive everywhere, though.

Only because there's a lot of township type things outside of the city limits! Y-you've done it with me, you can bus pretty much anywhere and for us walk anywhere we need to go.

Our grocery's over a block that way.

[ Masaomi points that out as a way to agree with Mikado as they reach the next intersection and need to start heading up a hill ]

Mm.

[That's not so bad, she has no serious aversion to walking, though being on a bus would be awful, especially if she was alone. ... Then again, will she ever be completely alone with these two in her life? Maybe not.]

How far away are we from the ocean?

[An important, important question.]

[ The ocean...

They aren't straight up land-locked, but it's something Masaomi needs to ponder. He looks up at the sky, trying to think about it and then Mikado thinks about it, and finally it's the one that wears glasses who answers.

( Did she not know where they were on a map ) ]

An hour's drive, give or take? The next city over, more or less...

More like forty if Linda or Basara-nii are driving.

[Nope! She doesn't have any real idea of where they are! Which is also why she's asking where the ocean is, it's one of the view things that helps her figure it out.]

An hour ... So we're really far down, then.

[She'll get around to asking Basara about it. It'd be like Vergil to not tell them the ... Specifics, which where a whirlwind of activity.] That's good, though! That means it won't be difficult to go when summer break rolls around! I need a new bikini, and Nathan is awful at swimming so I should find floaties that don't look like they're for toddlers, too!

[They both get a smile each.] You guys are coming with me!

[Hey, look, she's back to not asking!]

[ Hah. ]

More inland! We're actually towards the center of everything just a bit further east.

[ Masaomi laughs at that correction, more that he could make it... but at the same time, he's grinning and wiggling his fingers. Mikado rolls his eyes and then just- ]

That'd be a cool summer, though! Or uh... hot?

[ And then Masaomi's smile turns positively catlike. and Mikado looks at him with wide eyes. No, he can't- no... that's not a pun! He didn't mean it as that! ]

There's a pool pretty close though!

That was awful.

[And yet she's grinning at that terrible pun because it's just ... so bad ... But she's also weirdly impressed with the fact that Mikado didn't even really mean it that way.]

Pools aren't romantic, though. There's no sand, the sound of waves, sun tanning, volleyball, building sand castles, staying out until just after sunset ...

[There's a whole image she's creating in her head and judging by her dreamy expression it's a lovely one, so it's a shame it isn't real. Nariko is slow about coming back to reality, and by some odd measure she looks weirdly comforted.] Pools are great for getting ogled at, though!

[Which, y'know, that's got its own appeal!]

Oh, oh, so at the pool I have permission to objectify you?

[ She got lost in that little daydream, didn't she? But at the same time, both of them smiled at her - and he shakes his head a little, Masaomi. It's only natural he was able to quip first because Mikado was blushing furiously at that. He didn't mean to make a pun! That wasn't a pun! He meant it as it was literally hot, not how she looked! Come on!! ]

Aren't you objectifying me all the time?

[It should be mildly concerning that she's a little amazed at the idea that he wouldn't be objectifying it up 24/7.

And yes, she got completely lost in that daydream! There's nothing like summer and it'll probably be a lot more fun now that she and Nathan have a whole house to spend their free time with! It definitely beats being stuck in the house all day.]

Hey!

[ Well now Mikado gets to laugh at the blushing Masaomi. You did that one to yourself bro. Even if you were being sincere back there at all, you've tended to make yourself look stupid. Still, Mikado smiles a little and... ]

So Nate-kun can't swim yet?

[Score~

Her gaze tilts to Mikado this time while Masaomi blushes out his feelings in privacy. He'll recover just fine, she's sure of it.]

No, he's really scared of drowning for some reason! I'm with him every single time he gets into water and I've tried to teach him, but he just clings to me or his inner tube the whole time! [She makes a mild groaning noise.] ... I'm not the best teacher, though, so that might not be too good? Still.

[She would never let anything bad happen to him!!]

[ Masaomi is still recovering. Rude, so rude... much rude... he's not really sure how to handle this (no, he actually) but still! Mikado can now take center stage, grinning a little as he does. That sounds cute! ]

Well I'm sure we can handle it! Or ... someone can? Or something, right?

He might be okay with you, Mikado! I woke up to a dozen texts with questions I'm supposed to be asking you and stuff.

[Which she isn't going to do, thank you very much. This was her date, and Nathan had to learn to talk to people and be a little more confident anyway.] Do you guys do anything special for the seasons? Like summer and halloween and - oh, is Christmas a big deal?

[Please let Christmas be a big deal.]

Oh... you did? I'm -- I mean I guess I'm flattered?

[ An awkward laugh later, Mikado tries to come up with a good response to her - and he adjusts his glasses a little bit. Okay... so. So he'll shake his head a bit and he exhales. Let's answer that next part more dignified! ]

Well Haruki-nii's got this whole thing about Tanabata I don't really get... [ Which Masaomi, recovering over here, snorts at ] And Elda-san is really into a big Christmas dinner so there's a big thing about that. What else do we do that's big... um?

[She was about to explain that it really wasn't anything weird or meant to be unsettling, rather that basically all of the relatives they got to spend some vague time with were more like Nariko - extroverted, loud, and overbearing. Mikado was the first person relatively near Nathan's age that was sort of like him.]

What's Tanabata?

[Obviously it's a Japanese thing but that's really not enough information to base an event on.]

You guys don't eat out at Christmas!!! Yes!!!

[Her excitement is a little ridiculous, it comes with an air pump and a little hop that she doesn't stick, and therefore stumbles on a bit! But she doesn't even care. NO MORE GOLDEN CORRAL FOR CHRISTMAS!]

Nope! But there is some toad in the hole in the morning, which... well, Masaomi and Haruki-nii like it a lot.

[ British food, man... Also her excitement was infectious, he couldn't help but be sucked into her place with a little smile. Which also sees a glance over at Masaomi, who is now hanging his head dramatically a few paces ahead of them. But he is grinning ]

But Tanabata's a summer festival which is sort of about wishes and... no one cares about it when there's not a festival. He tries to make it something though-- Oh! We also have New Years of course.

Hey, that's the one thing I can cook! [Sort of - half the time? Or maybe like a third.

Mikado gets a huff at that, though!] How am I supposed to experience it if no one cares?! I want to try it! [Whether 'he' is Masaomi or some other pack member. She's very obviously not Japanese but, hell, she's already had to learn Russian stuff for Nathan, the multiculturalism might as well continue on! That, and it's fun learning stuff like that.

Though her ignorance also means that she's not comprehending the importance of New Years.]

I'd be worried if you guys didn't celebrate New Years! Everyone has to drink champagne and do the countdown!

You know what it is? [ That's Masaomi finally speaking up, an almost awed note in her voice. Who on earth knows what that weird mixture that Elda creates is. Sure he likes it, but at the same time he sort of knows it sounds gross in his head to a modern not-British sensibility?! Still, he sort of lets that hang in the air as he laughs at that next part, and h adds more for Mikado than anything, ] Haruki-nii'll beat you up for it, and Linda might too.

H-hey, no he won't! And Linda doesn't- care that much either! [ Huff. And he's ignoring that look Masaomi, focusing on new years. ] Mmmhm! And the little money we all get as kids, the mochi, and then a lot of the older people do a shrine visit early in the morning. Masaomi tends to join them.

[ Mikado isn't a morning person though. Plus that's just... he can do his Firsts elsewhere. ]

Hey, don't make me sound too superstitious, it's not like I'm ringing the bell 108 times!

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